Shoe-fastening



(No Model.)

W. H. DAILEY.

SHOE FASTENING.

No. 661,540. Patented June 2,. 1896.

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\VILLIAM H. DAILEY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SHOE-FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561 ,540, dated June 2, 1896. Application filed January 13, 1896. Serial No. 575,317. (No model.)

- a citizen of the United States, residing at St.

Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe- Fastening Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in shoe-fasteners and it consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts, more fully set forth in the specifigation and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a middle vertical section taken through the uppers of a shoe-that is, along a line between the meeting edges of the uppers. Fig. 2 is a section on a a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on Z; Z) of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on c c of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a plan of the sliding plate op erating over the space between the meeting edges of the uppers.

The object of my invention is to provide a substitute for the ordinary lace now generally employed for securing the meeting edges of uppers in that class of shoes commonly known as laceshoes, a substitute which is practically permanent and Will last as long as the shoe and requiring at no time to be renewed during the life of the shoe. To this end I have devised a fastener which in detail may be described as follows:

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the material of the uppers divided or open in front, as is usual in the ordinary form of laceshoes. Adjacent to the meeting edges of the opposite sides of the uppers (and taking the place of the usual row of eyelets) and disposed along the outside of the shoe are secured metallic strips 2, whose adjacent edges are deflected outwardly, thus forming continuous grooves or guideways 3 along the respective edges. Spanning the space between the meeting edges, and of a length extending from the lower end of the open or divided portion of the uppers to the upper end of the instep, is a plate 4, having inwardly deflected or bent edges 5, adapted to embrace or fold over the deflected edges of the strips 2, whereby the grooves 3 formed by the latter serve to form guideways for the plate 4, enabling the latter to be shoved up or down within the guide ways thus formed. \Vhen drawn upward to its fullest extent, the plate 4 completely covers the instep, drawing the adjacent edges of the open portion of the uppers in proximity to one another and thus acting as a fastener for the shoe and at the same time serving the purpose of the ordinary tongue usually employed in lace-shoes. Secured to the upper end of the plate at and forming a continuation thereof is a flap 6, of leather or similar material, adapted to cover the remaining portion of the opening above the instep, a flexible connection being thus formed between the plate and flap. The under surface of this flap or extension has secured thereto the metallic socket 7 of an ordinary snaphook fastener, the knob or button 8 of said fastener being carried by the upper portion of the uppers on one side of ,the shoe, the 0pposite side having cut therein a suitable opening 9, the parts at this point being extended sufficiently to slightly overlap one another, the opening 9 being passed over the knob 8, when finally the flap 6 is snapped over the projecting knob or button 8, thus fastening the parts along the upper portion of the shoe.

In removing the shoe the flap is unfastened, the respective opposite sides of the uppers disengaged, the fastening-plate 4 is shoved down within its guideways over the lower portion of the shoe below the instep, (see dotted position of the plate in Fig. 1,) whereupon the two sides of the uppers can readily separate and permit the shoe to be removed. It is thus seen that by simply drawing the plate 4: up within its guideways the opposite sides of the shoe-uppers are brought together and closed, thus dispensing with the ordinary lacing, the device lasting the full life of the shoe, and at the same time being simple and easily manipulated.

Having described my invention, what I claim is A shoe-fastening device comprising a sliding plate having inwardly bent or deflected opposite edges, suitable strips secured adjacent to the meeting edges of the uppers, said strips having outwardly-deflected adjacent edges and forming guideways for the inwardly-bent edges of the sliding plate, said sliding plate being of a length to substantially span the space between the meeting edges In testimony whereof I affix my signature of the uppers over the instep, a flap carried in presence '01"; two Witnesses. by the upper end of the sliding plate, and 2t fastening device between the upper end of WILLIAM H. DAILEY. 5 the flap and the shoe-uppers, said flap being \Vitnesses:

adapted to cover the remaining space above EMIL STAREK,

the instep, substantially as set forth. HENRY MILLER. 

